How long do I need to run the generator to keep the refrig cold?

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How long do i need to run the refrigerator to keep the food cool and the frozen stuff in the freezer FROZE??? I don't want to run it anymore than necessary to conserve on fuel. At least as far as the frozen stuff goes... it would be nice to keep it as long as possible.

-- A Guy (waiting@y2kgetit.com), December 03, 1999

Answers

Guy,

Just pick up a cheap thermometer to put inside it. Then you won't have to sweat the fridg or the generator.

-- maid upname (noid@ihope.com), December 03, 1999.


If you live in a cold climate, store water in clean milk cartons and leave them outside (hopefully to freeze). Rotate them in the frig and have cold drinking water when they thaw or refreeze them overnight outdoors. Your frig is nothing more than a large cooler with power........or not. :)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), December 03, 1999.

If you live in a cold climate location, don't waste heat by opening the door to bring in iced milk cartons. You can keep food in the coldest part of the home (that's indoors) and keep it sealed apart from the rest of the home.

If possible, forget perishables that need refigeration. Canned foods, dried cereals, grains, legumes are the way to go IMHO.

-- Sandwich (anon@anon.anon), December 03, 1999.


Its doubtful that your generator will even run your fridge motor. You can check the back plate with the info that should list watts/amps. But a generator is not useful for running your fridge.

But here's the rub, lately there have been posts on where one should flee to, generator/fridge etc. Its what 28 days out? And folks are asking "What do you think y2k will do to my computer?" 18 months ago or even a year ago I could understand these questions--but now?

Either the posters are "poseurs" or the panic the gubmit talks about is beginning to show its head. Its that mad scramble for that last can of tuna.

My advice is forget the fridge. Forget the generator too. If the power goes out, unplug the fridge until you are certain you are getting clean power. If you really need cold beer, buy a propane fridge at any RV place. They have them new and used. A bit small but work dandy.

Just a Peace Farmer

-- Peace Farmer (peacefarmer@thefarm.veg), December 03, 1999.


Probably about 2 hours a day, assuming it will cover the startup surge of the electric motor.

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), December 03, 1999.


I think that Peace Farmer has a good point or two! If it is something like medicine that you are trying to keep cold (something really small) you might want to get one of those 12VDC coolers and two nice Trojan golf cart batteries T-105s. Otherwise put the fridge in a cool spot and make sure that the heat exhanger (the coils) are totally clean as dust is a great insulator. Also you can purchase from various science houses or Radio Shack a remote thermometer so you won't have to open the door to see what the temp is, run the wires out the top of the door.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), December 03, 1999.

You should run it untill the people "if any" that live around you notice you have a generator who don't. Then it will become a redundant point.

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), December 03, 1999.

I have a 5000 wat generator. Not planning on using it except to make ice this spring and summer, and maybe to run a small window unit a/c. (Yes, it gets HOTT here in the summer.)

I figure if it's a 10, by summer most everyone around me will be dead or long gone from here. For those still here and alive, we'll probably all be living together or at the very least, helping each other out.

-- GoldReal (GoldReal@aol.com), December 03, 1999.


I tested my refrigerator and freezer to see how long it ran in a 24 hour period. The refrigerator averaged 8 hours per 24hr period, and the freezer (set at -10F) ran a little less than 7 hrs/24hr period. This was in an ambiant temperature of 78F.

It doesn't take a large genset to run a refrigerator or freezer. Mine both draw 4.8 amps running (each). I don't know what it takes to start it since I don't have a high-priced meter that reads starting amps, but usually it is 3 to 5 times the running amps. So if you have a 3KW generator it should start and run a refrigerator, but a 5KW would be better so you could run other stuff like lights, etc., too.

GoldReal,

You better check to see if your 5KW will start your air conditioner. I have my doubts, unless it is a really small window unit.

Slo&Ezy

-- Slow and Easy (We'llKnow@ForSure.soon), December 03, 1999.


Forgot to say.. I plan on running my genset 9 hours a day total; 3 times at 3 hrs each. If that doesn't work, I'll extend each period by an hour. I have plenty of fuel; enough to last nearly a year at 12 hrs/day. My genset is big enough to run anything I want, including my central AC.

Slo&Ezy

-- Slow and Easy (We'llKnow@ForSure.soon), December 03, 1999.



We're planning to use almost everything in the freezer by year end. We have a 5000W gen, but don't think it makes sense to waste precious fuel running a freezer. My refrig is very large and we're planning to discontinue the use of it also, using a small refrig in a motor home if necessary. If and when the power stays on, we'll use the appliances, but plans are to be without and just cook enough food for the days use.

-- Kenin Marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), December 03, 1999.

We bought our generator a few months after the January 1994 Northridge earthquake. About a year or so later we had a major power failure (whole west coast of the U.S.) that lasted about 14 hours. It occurred on a cold, overcast day. We ran the generator for about 2 to 3 hours to run the refrigerator and it worked well.

-- Linda (lindasue1@earthlink.net), December 03, 1999.

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